Product description

In Parties! Ina Garten shares the secrets she has gleaned from her years as a caterer and a dedicated party giver. Ina's parties are easy to prepare and fun for everyone, including the host. Packed with plans for pulling off parties like a pro, and stories and recipes from her own parties, this is a must-have guide to easy entertaining. *In the spring you can invite your friends to a party where they all make their own pizzas. *Come summer, it's into the garden for a lunch with grilled lamb and pitta sandwiches that guests assemble themselves. *In the autumn, Ina roasts a fresh turkey, which her friends enjoy with a creamy spinach gratin. *And on a winter's day, everyone is invited for a lunch buffet with seafood chowder and butternut squash and apple soup. Delicious! Ina has reached new heights here with recipes like sour cream coffee cake - the ultimate breakfast treat. Salads? The red lettuce, balsamic onions and blue cheese salad; Chinese chicken salad; and panzanella may be the best you've ever tasted. And fillet of beef is easy to make for a fancy dinner with oh-so-good gorgonzola sauce.
With so many great ideas and recipes to choose from, this will be an essential read for anyone who loves a party.

Author information

Ina Garten is the author of seven bestselling cookbooks, star of the Barefoot Contessa TV show on the Good Food Channel. She writes a monthly column for House Beautiful and lives in East Hampton, USA.

Review quote

"True to her theory that the easiest parties are usually the best, Garten offers sound advice... and fare within the reach of any cook" Publishers Weekly "Beloved all over the planet (not only for her food), Ina Garten has become the inspiration in the kitchen for so many of us." Gwyneth Paltrow

Back cover copy

'I hope that you'll use this book to discover new ways to have parties that will send your friends home saying those magical words: "That was the best party I've been to in years!"' - from the Introduction
Praise for The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
'Want to dazzle your guests? Try the roasted whole salmon with a fennel stuffing. It couldn't be easier, and it most certainly will produce raves when served at a buffet or dinner.' - Florence Fabricant, New York Times
'I enjoy Barefoot Contessa both for its presentation, which is just about the best I've ever seen, and also because the food tastes like home cooking - because it is. I'm drawn in as much by its personality as I am by what they have to offer' - Steven Spielberg, director
Praise for Barefoot Contessa Parties!
'True to her theory that the easiest parties are usually the best, Garten offers sound advice...and fare within the reach of any cook.' - Publishers Weekly

Flap copy

After more than twenty years of running Barefoot Contessa, the acclaimed specialty food store, Ina Garten published her first collection of recipes. "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook was an overnight sensation, but it's the kind of success that can only be grounded in years of experience. In it, Ina shared her ideas for familiar food but with outstanding flavor and -- most important of all -- recipes that really work.
Now, with "Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ina shares secrets she has gleaned from her years not only as a caterer but as a dedicated party giver. The keyword here is fun. Ina's parties are easy to prepare and fun for everyone, including the host. Forget those boring Saturday-night dinners that just won't end. With Ina's advice, you're certain to have all your friends saying, "Wasn't that fun!"
Ina has packed "Barefoot Contessa Parties! with plans for pulling off parties like a pro, stories about her own parties, and tips on assembling food (rather than cooking everything) and organizing like a caterer. In the spring you can invite your friends to a party where they all make their own pizzas. Come summer, it's into the garden for a lunch with grilled lamb and pita sandwiches that guests assemble themselves. In the autumn, when it's not Thanksgiving, Ina roasts a fresh turkey, which her friends enjoy with popovers and a creamy spinach gratin. And on a snowy winter's day, everyone is invited for a lunch buffet with seafood chowder and butternut squash and apple soup.
Ever since Ina published her first book, people write, e-mail, and stop her on the street to say how much they love the food. She's reached new heights here with recipes like sour cream coffee cake--theultimate breakfast treat. Salads? The red lettuce, balsamic onions, and blue cheese; Chinese chicken salad; and panzanella may be the best you've ever tasted. Filet of beef is easy to make for a fancy dinner with oh-so-good gorgonzola sauce, or sliced into sandwiches and served with lobster rolls for a Superbowl party. And fans of "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook will be delighted to find the recipe for the Lemon Cake they drooled over but only saw pictured, right here in this book.
With so many great ideas and recipes in these pages for you to use, your friends will start to wonder why your parties are always so much fun.